A Recurring Dream Within a Dream
by crematosis
Summary: Vaan is acting a little...odd when he finds out he has to share a room with Balthier. What does he have to hide?


A/N: I'm finally attempting to write A FFXII story because well…there really weren't all that many involving Balthierxvaan. Well..okay…maybe there were. But I already read them all. So I decided to create my own. I realize that since this is my first attempt…and since I haven't actually finished the game yet, a lot of things might be wrong. But please try to be kind, won't you?

Disclaimer: I don't own any FFXII character…it'd be nice though. The creators must make a lot of money.

Rooming arrangements were very pleasant on the Strahl. Everyone had their own room, as small as they were, so there was no fighting over who had to share a room. However, they sometimes had to stop to make repairs and spend the night in an inn.

This one…Balthier deigned to call it an inn. Of course, Penelo and Vaan knew the place well. It was in Lowtown after all. The Strahl was parked comfortably in Rabanastre's Aerodrome while they were hiding out in Lowtown.

Normally, when rooms were assigned, everyone complied. Ashe and Basch would be rooming together, Penelo and Fran would be rooming together, and that left Balthier and Vaan together.

Vaan didn't seem the least bit thrilled with the arrangements, which interested Balthier. After all, Vaan had spent most of the day following Balthier around, pestering him with questions about the Strahl, with that look of awe in his eyes. And now, he didn't want to continue the job and keep Balthier up all night with his questions? That seemed…uncharacteristic.

Ashe and Basch retired to their room for the night and Fran and Penelo soon followed. Vaan shot a sharp glare at Penelo's back. Vaan dropped his head and kicked at a spot in the hallway's threadbare carpeting. "I guess we better go to bed so we can get an early start," he muttered.

"Is that so?" Balthier murmured.

Vaan's lifted his head and gave Balthier a confused look. "Yeah, why not?"

"You don't seem too eager to head to bed," Balthier said with a shrug.

"It's not that,' Vaan said hesitantly. 'It's just…I-I really didn't want to spend the night with you."

"Why ever not? I'm the leading man. I can teach you so many things. Just being in my presence may help you."

Vaan frowned at him. 'It's not that. I mean, yes you do know a lot, especially about being a sky pirate. And I do want to learn how. It's just…it seemed a little strange. If Ashe and Basch are rooming together, shouldn't you and Fran be together?"

Balthier chuckled. "If you're trying to imply that Fran and I are involved in a sexual relationship, you're very much mistaken. Fran and I are partners. We travel together all the time. We do share rooms from time to time, but merely as a convenience."

Vaan's thoughtful frown deepened. "It doesn't make any sense. There's no pattern. It should be Basch and Ashe, you and Fran, and me and Penelo."

Balthier raised an eyebrow. "So, you and Penelo, is it?"

Vaan turned pink. 'No, no. That's not what I mean. It's just, shouldn't we have some kind of pattern to dividing the rooms?"

Balthier sighed. "Vaan, there are three women and three men. We have tried to put all the men together and all the women together, but that left one odd man out and one odd woman out. And the princess is far more inclined to spend the night with Basch than the rest of us. It's just how it worked out."

Vaan sighed unhappily and fidgeted.

"Do you feel overshadowed by my presence?' Balthier questioned.

"N-no," Vaan said nervously. 'it's just…nevermind, it's nothing."

"Alright then," Balthier said doubtfully. 'We shall proceed to our room and make the best of these arrangement, hmn?'

Vaan settled onto his bed and looked at Balthier across the small, cramped room. Vaan had turned rather pale.

"Anything bothering you?" Balthier asked.

'No," Vaan said stiffly.

'Well, let me know if something comes up. That's why we were divided up this way. Fran will be an excellent mentor for Penelo and I can tell you everything I know."

"Thanks, but you really can't help me," Vaan said quietly.

"Alright then. Good-night, Vaan."

Balthier was awakened from his sleep some time later by an almost girlish scream from Vaan. Balthier immediately saw that Vaan was not in any danger but was merely caught in the throes of a dream.

"R-r-reks!" Vaan squeaked out. 'W-what are you doing?"

Balthier watched with amusement. So, this was what Vaan didn't want him to see. He assumed Penelo was already familiar with Vaan's little display.

Vaan let out a startled gasp and his cheeks puffed up with indignation. 'Balthier, you bastard. How dare you dress up like my brother! Don't you know-mmph."

Balthier blinked in surprise as Vaan cut off his own sentence as if smothered.

Vaan rolled over and sighed. 'That doesn't change anything. You're still a-mmmngh."

Vaan continued a second time, now panting for breath. "Balthiiiiiiiiier," he whined.

Balthier didn't like how he was suspecting this would turn out.

Vaan rolled over again and whimpered softly, curling into a ball. "But, Balthier, we have sex every night. I'm not mad at you, okay? Just don't-" Vaan sighed.

Vaan tensed and dissolved into moans. Vaan suddenly shot straight up and swore angrily. "Damn it, not again," he growled.

Vaan glanced over at Balthier who was pretending to be asleep, then he got up and raced into the bathroom.

Balthier closed his eyes and fell back asleep, trying to forget that the whole thing had happened.

Balthier woke up the next morning to find Vaan lying in his bed, snuggled up contentedly. Balthier was not amused. He nudged the boy sharply. "Would you kindly tell me what you are doing in my bed?" Balthier asked.

Vaan looked up startled. "Oh, you were calling out in your sleep last night. I wanted to see if you were okay and you demanded that I stay with you. And uh…you grabbed my arms when I was trying to walk by. So I stayed."

Balthier sighed. "Oh really?"

"Yup," Vaan said cheerfully. "I don't mind. I used to share a bed with my brother Reks."

Balthier raised an eyebrow. 'So I have taken Reks's role in your mind?"

Vaan made a face. 'Ewww! No way-uhh…I mean, no. Reks was my brother and you're-"

"An irresistibly attractive sky pirate that you have been dreaming about for some time now,' Balthier finished.

'How did you-I mean, no, no. Nothing like that," Vaan protested.

'Really, now? And what would be your reaction if say, I had developed an interest in you, hmn?"

Vaan reddened. "Oh, alright. I have been dreaming about you for along time. It's just so embarrassing."

"Nothing to be ashamed of, Vaan. I have also been dreaming of you quite considerably, although, considering your relative youthfulness, we might want to resign these feelings to our dreams."

Vaan stuck out his tongue. "Fine. But when I turn eighteen, that's going to stop."

'I wouldn't have it any other way,' Balthier countered.


End file.
